By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Apparently to avoid any mistake which may prevent Nigeria from qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup slated for Australia and New Zealand, the Super Falcons contingent will arrive Vancouver Wednesday morning for the two-match international friendly matches against Olympic Champions, Canada.
The Nigerian delegation comprising of two players veteran defender, Onome Ebi and Akudo Ogbonna, only home-based in the squad; four assistant coaches and backroom staff as well as top management staff departed Abuja on Tuesday for Canada.
They will join the Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum; tactical coach Lorine and the bulk of foreign-based players who are already in Vancouver where they will train twice before the first match billed for 24 hours later.
Prompt News reports that Nigeria had last month agreed to play Canada in two-match friendlies tagged Canadians’ Celebratory Tour. The first game will take place on Friday, April 8 in Vancouver while the second match will be played next Monday, April 11, 2022 at the Starlight Stadium in Langford.
Recall, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which has used every FIFA Women’s International Match Calendar to give Super Falcons international matches also saw the Canada invitation as a big opportunity to pitch the Super Falcons against the best teams in the world to prepare the 9-time African Champions ahead of the the CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) which will hold in Morocco in July.
According to Canada Soccer Federation the two games are designed to celebrate the North American ladies’ triumph at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo last August.
The team ranked sixth in the world powered to their first-ever gold medal in the Summer Olympics football tournament by beating Sweden 3–2 in the penalty shoot-out after both teams drew 1–1 after extra time in the final.
Already, Canada’s Head Coach Beverly Priestman has expressed her delight at facing the most successful African women’s national team, Nigeria, saying “I was over the moon to get Nigeria over the line,” Priestman told the CBC.”
